Monk says Curtains has changed considerably since its out-of-town tryout at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theater last summer. "There were great bones, but I think we've gotten rid of the fat. Everything that's been done was to make the story better. And what's been wonderful is that there have been no egos involved," she says. That statement applies doubly, says Monk, to the show's star, David Hyde Pierce. "He is one of the greatest people in show business. He's brilliantly talented, generous, and kind. He knows the names of every single person on stage and backstage. I just can't wait to be on the stage with him every night."

Monk's big number is called "It's a Business," and the actress admits there's been some speculation that her character is based on a real business person. But she swears that's not the case. "Everyone thinks Carmen is based on Fran Weissler, but Peter based my character on women he knew years ago. After all, the show is set in the 1950s," she says. "I really get all my information from what Peter and Rupert Holmes (the show's new co-author) gave me. And I really like Fran." So has the role inspired Monk to become a producer? "No, I can't imagine ever doing that. The only time I acted like a producer is when we first put together Pump Boys and Dinettes, but that's because we had no one and we were looking for a producer," she says with a laugh.

Another reason Curtains is so special for Monk is that it reunites her with many of her compatriots from the short-lived Kander and Ebb musical Steel Pier, including co-star Karen Ziemba. "I think it's hard for many of us to get over the fact that it closed when it did." Making the memories even more bittersweet was the recent passing of that show's star, Daniel McDonald, from brain cancer last month. "That was a really hard day. We were in rehearsal when we died. Our set is supposed to be the Colonial Theatre and it has the big brick wall in back. So that day, we wrote Danny's name on the wall; in L.A., we had written Fred and Peter's names. Now, it's lovely to feel that Danny is part of this show."

Plummer will also be onstage as Celia, best friend to the play's heroine Rosalind. "I've always been intrigued by the role, plus being the producing director, I didn't want the show to be about me," he says in explaining why he eschewed the lead role (to be played by Erik Gratton). "I'm finding her to be quite strong and quite determined, yet very emotional. I think a lot of the female characters in Shakespeare are much more intelligent and interesting than the men."

While the company's actors are not well known, there is one celebrity involved with the project: Tony Award nominee Malcolm Gets has composed an original score for the show. "I can't imagine the play without music; it really adds a different dimension," says Plummer. "Malcolm and I worked together last summer at Williamstown on Anything Goes and we would just go to the green room and he could just play anything on the piano. It was phenomenal. I thought if anyone could make Shakespeare's songs sparkle, it was Malcolm. So I asked him -- and it turned out he did music for this show many years ago. But he's giving us brand spanking new music."

Like all the other members of the all-male cast, which also includes Broadway veterans Frederick Weller, Romain Frugé, and Michael McElroy, Pascal plays many different parts in the show. "It's been a wonderful challenge, and the great thing is that we're not just creating specific boxes for each character in advance. It's more like we got on our feet during rehearsal and discovered them," he says. Pascal admits that not all the characters have come as easily to him as others. "I'm playing this wealthy young man who has an affair with his chauffeur in 1922 and that's been hard to get a grip on; but there's this one group therapy scene that's very contemporary, and it's never been so easy for me to slip into a character."

Pascal says the best part of this experience has been working with his fellow actors. "The chemistry between us on stage -- and off -- is so good. I've really learned how important casting is during this experience. Everyone is so willing to both take and give focus to each other," he says. "In fact, I was worried that I was having too much fun during rehearsals just watching everyone."

Moving right along, playwright John Guare will be honored at a special benefit performance of the Public Theater's King Lear on March 20; that same night, Kathleen Chalfant will read selections from the work of author Jane Austen at the New York Public Library's Donnell Center. Dana Ivey and John Turturro will read selected works by Pulitzer Prize winner John Patrick Shanley on March 21 at Symphony Space. Former Jacques Brel star Gay Marshall will give a one-night concert at the Zipper on March 22.
Award-winning comedian John Fugelsang will unveil his new solo show All The Wrong Reasons: A True Story of Neo-Nazis, Drug Smuggling, and Undying Love at New York Theatre Workshop, March 23; the same night, Chad Hoeppner, Lawrence Lau, and Matthew Mabe will begin a three-week run in Martin Casella's new play Scituate at the Barrow Group.

As the month comes to a close, West Coast singing sensation Devlin will make her NYC cabaret debut at Helen's on March 24. Danny Aiello will read Tennessee Williams' "The Timeless World of a Play" on March 25 as a benefit for next fall's Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival; that same night, author Norman Mailer will lead a discussion after the reading of his play The Deer Park at Makor. Heading northward, famed solo performers Dael Orlandersmith and David Cale will collaborate on The Blue Album at New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre, March 28-April 29; and another solo star, Mike Daisey will bring his acclaimed new show Invincible Summer to Yale Rep's New Theater, March 29-31, before heading off for a month-long stint at Cambridge's American Repertory Theatre in April.

And last but not least, congratulations to Christine Ebersole, who will have her caricature added to the walls of Tony's DiNapoli on West 43rd Street sometime in the very near future. Brava, diva!

Spotted earlier this week: Tommy Tune and John McDaniel separately taking in the opening night of the highly entertaining Be at the Union Square Theater; and Tony winner LaChanze, choreographer Maria Torres, and Dancing with the Stars' hunk Mario Lopez helping PepsiCo to launch the new nationwide Smart Spot Dance! program at the McBurney Y.

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